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Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy

Karin Li, obstetrician, Labor room manager at Shamir Medical Center
1 September 2024

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can have a harmful effect on the fetus. Therefore, if you plan on conceiving, it is crucial to stop consuming alcohol at this stage. If you are already pregnant, avoid drinking alcohol completely throughout the entire pregnancy.
It is imperative to keep in mind that there is no quantity of alcohol that is allowed during pregnancy, and due to the unique way alcohol affects each individual, it is impossible to predict how alcohol will impact your fetus.

Risks associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy:

  • Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), either full or partial: this term encompasses a spectrum of symptoms, such as growth deficit and damage to the central nervous system. This damage, in turn, leads to a variety of behavioral, functional, and cognitive problems. These issues span across different levels of mental and developmental disabilities, including conditions like attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, impaired self-control, compromised social judgment, and hindered learning skills.
  • Neuro-developmental damages: for example, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and behavioral problems.
    • Congenital malformations: this encompasses a range of malformations, including heart defects, malformations in blood vessels, kidneys, the urinary tract, ocular malformations, and spinal cord defects.
  • Moreover, the risk of miscarriages, premature labor, and sudden infant death syndrome, as well as mental disorders and behavioral problems, is increased.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy, in any quantity, may have a critical and dangerous impact on the fetus. When a pregnant woman consumes alcohol, it enters her bloodstream from her digestive system, crosses the placenta, and reaches the fetus. Alcohol is a teratogen, a substance that can disrupt the development of the fetus in the uterus.

At present, it is evident that consuming large quantities of alcohol poses a serious risk to the fetus. However, it is imperative to keep in mind that no quantity of alcohol is considered safe during pregnancy due to the unique way it affects each individual. The impact is contingent on factors such as body weight, fat composition, metabolic capability, and the stage of pregnancy during which the body is exposed to alcohol. Because alcohol has a direct impact on the brain, alcohol consumption may have a long-term effect on the fetus and its development. The prospect of a negative result escalates with elevated consumption levels. However, it may occur from the first drop; therefore, it is crucial that you avoid alcohol consumption completely.

If you plan to conceive, it is imperative to stop consuming alcohol at this stage to avoid hurting the tiny fetus at the beginning of life.

If you are already pregnant, it is imperative that you avoid consuming alcohol throughout the entire pregnancy. Even if you had unknowingly consumed alcohol prior to realizing your pregnancy, cessation of alcohol consumption will significantly lower the likelihood of fetal harm.

The dangers of consuming alcohol during pregnancy

The range of deficiencies caused by exposing the fetus to alcohol is divided into four categories, each of which may manifest to a mild or severe degree:

  • Fetal alcohol syndrome.
  • Partial fetal alcohol syndrome.
  • Neuro-developmental disorders.
  • Congenital disorders.

Fetal alcohol syndrome

Full fetal alcohol syndrome is the tip of the iceberg of a variety of negative conditions that arise from fetal exposure to alcohol.
The syndrome presents itself through three components:

  1. Growth deficit: fetal growth deficit both in the uterus and after delivery.
  2. Characteristic changes in facial structure: the most typical include a small eye opening, a thin upper lip, and a smooth and long area between the nose and upper lip.
  3. Central nervous system disorders: these are demonstrated by a relatively small head circumference, distinctive brain structure, and behavioral, cognitive, and developmental disabilities. As a result, a variety of cognitive and developmental delays, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), hyperactivity, difficulty with self-control, impulsivity, impaired social judgment, and learning disabilities can occur.

To diagnose an infant with fetal alcohol syndrome, at least one of the three symptoms should be present, in addition to documented alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Supportive care is available to manage the disorders created by the syndrome; however, there is no cure.

Partial fetal alcohol syndrome

In addition to the full syndrome, a spectrum of disorders, known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, arises from prenatal alcohol exposure. Infants exposed to alcohol in the uterus may be susceptible to some of them. Diagnosing the syndrome can be particularly challenging when the presentation is partial.

Neuro-developmental disorders

Neuro-developmental impairment causes the following behavioral, cognitive, and functional disorders:

  • Learning disabilities.
  • Attention deficit disorders.
  • Behavioral problems.

Congenital malformations

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to fetal congenital malformations, including heart defects, malformations in blood vessels, kidneys, the urinary tract, ocular malformations, and spinal cord defects.

Additional risks

In addition, alcohol consumption during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of the following symptoms:

  • Spontaneous miscarriages and neonatal mortality.
  • Pre-term birth.
  • Sudden infant death syndrome.
  • Mental disorders, difficulties with independent living, employment difficulties, and long-term behavioral problems.